Forging Immortality through the Dao Seed

"A hundred beasts! Exactly a hundred fierce beasts nearing their first metamorphosis in the Unity Realm Stage! Are you kidding me?"

At a certain moment, a surprised cry suddenly echoed throughout the vast space on the third floor of the God-Demon Tower, drowning out the roars of beasts that filled the mountains and plains.

Zhang Jing stood dumbfounded on the spot, his face bearing an indelible look of shock.

Compared to the first floor, the difficulty of the second floor had increased by at least tenfold; and in comparison with the second, the difficulty spike on the third floor was even more exaggerated.

If the rules stayed the same——

Suddenly, Zhang Jing thought of the two monsters ranked second and third, both having reached the sixth floor of the tower. Just how strong were they? And then there was the first-ranked, on the eighth floor, which was just absurd to consider.

"Looking at it now," Zhang Jing thought with a realization: "In the five stages of cultivation before becoming a Prove Taoist Immortal, from Qi Refinement to Combining Dao, the disparity between cultivators within the same realm grows increasingly larger the further one progresses."

"Especially at the Unity Realm Stage, the difference in strength can reach an absurd level, almost as if they belong to two different grades of life. Is it because it's the beginning of understanding and touching upon the principles of the Dao?"

Regaining his composure.

He looked at the hundred ferocious beasts that had completely surrounded him.

A sudden insight surged in Zhang Jing's heart.

No wonder there were only a few dozen individuals who had surpassed the third floor of the tower. The God-Demon Tower wasn't meant for ordinary beings at the Unity Realm Stage; it was clearly designed for those at the Feathering or even Pure Yang stages, and perhaps even for Earth Immortals.

Ordinary beings at the Unity Realm Stage, if they didn't have some fortuitous encounter or an exceptional natural talent, would almost certainly be stopped at the second floor.

"So be it, let's take this opportunity to see where my limits lie."

Zhang Jing thought with some excitement, having already abandoned the idea of getting through the third floor of the God-Demon Tower.

One knows oneself best; without having fully refined the Five-Color Cloud Flag or the Xucang Immortal Robes, he had little hope of passing the third floor.

If it were one-on-one, or even one-on-ten, he still had some confidence, but facing a hundred fierce beasts close to their first metamorphosis...

Time rushed by quickly.

He only managed to hold on for a day and a half.

Zhang Jing stared hard at the remaining ninety-three fierce beasts. Their number was too great for him to focus all his powers on a specific one. Being able to fight and kill seven of them was almost at his limit.

He shook his head helplessly, a hint of regret showing on his pale face, then connected his mind to the consciousness of the God-Demon Tower: "Exit!"

Yes, Zhang Jing didn't wait for the protective mechanism of the God-Demon Tower to take effect before choosing to exit voluntarily. If he struggled, he could barely manage to kill another one or two beasts, but that held no real significance.

"Are you sure you want to exit?"

As a grand voice suddenly rose, the roaring beasts, the violent wind, the dust in the air, and the shaking vegetation... everything came to an abrupt halt, as if the entire space and time of the third floor of the God-Demon Tower had been frozen.

"Yes!"

Zhang Jing nodded.

The next moment.

A flash of light enveloped him, and then he appeared back on the grassland where it all began, except there were no longer any traces of his battle with the grey-white beasts.

The ranking list slowly unfolded in front of Zhang Jing.

At the same time, that voice once again rang out beside his ear: "Would you like to enter the Devil God Ranking with your real name?"

"No, use Qingyun," Zhang Jing said calmly.

"As you wish."

No sooner had the voice faded away.

A bright light suddenly appeared on the Devil God Ranking, rapidly coalescing into the bold golden characters for 'Qingyun'.

[Rank 23: Qingyun (Third Floor)]

"I only killed seven, yet I'm ranked twenty-third. What's the deal with those fifteen people who are also on the third floor?"

Zhang Jing's eyes twitched slightly, his thoughts tinged with surprise.

The ranking was much higher than he had expected.

Then, as if coming to a realization, he cast his gaze towards Tianqiong and asked softly, "What's the use of the Devil God Ranking? And what is a first-class civilian?"

"The Devil God Ranking is tied to the final rewards when Bliss Fairy Island closes. As for being a first-class civilian, that's a status level within Immortal City. The higher your status, the more privileges you have within Immortal City. Please explore this on your own."

...

...

At this moment.

Outside the God-Demon Tower, news of a newcomer named Qingyun who had catapulted to twenty-third place on the Devil God Ranking spread rapidly.

In the midst of the crowd.

"Brother, didn't you say that you've passed the God-Demon Tower and are ranked seven hundred and twenty-nine?"

"Would you care to try?"

"Brother Dao has misunderstood, I was merely curious and asked. Concerning Qingyun, who ranks twenty-third, do you have any idea what kind of strength he possesses?"

"He must be a Feathering True Immortal, right?"

The other party hesitated, their tone carrying a hint of uncertainty. This was because the third layer of the God-Demon Tower was not within their knowledge.

However, one could make some simple deductions. Zhang Jing himself was not far from stepping into the Feathering stage, yet even so, he could only struggle on the second layer. Therefore, it was pretty clear that Qingyun, who had stepped onto the third layer, must undoubtedly be a Feathering True Immortal.

"Hiss—"

At the same time.

Similar discussions were happening in various corners of the crowd.

However, this fervor only lasted for a brief moment before quickly subsiding. After all, it was only the twenty-third rank, and more and more powerful individuals had been entering Bliss Fairy Immortal City lately; such situations were not uncommon.

...

...

About the time it takes half an incense stick to burn.

Zhang Jing walked out of the God-Demon Tower with a low profile, directly merging into the void and quietly vanishing from the spot, almost without attracting anyone's attention—except for those five Feathering True Immortals who had been squatting outside the God-Demon Tower, not leaving even an inch.

On his way in escape.

Zhang Jing leisurely looked back, his gaze piercing through the void as if he was intently watching the five people following behind him.

"You're likely to be disappointed," he thought to himself.

Zhang Jing knew what these people were after, but for him, the best and only way to enter the Inner City now was to go into closed-door cultivation and fully refine the secret clothe of the invisible Xian Yi.

So... what was the point of following him like this?

He shook his head, his eyes revealing a hint of mockery.

...

...

Three months later.

In a courtyard not far from Zhang Jing's residence, an extremely angry roar suddenly erupted from deep inside.

"Damn it! Damn it! Which bastard leaked Zhang Jing's location? Now we're really in big trouble."

"Please, my lord, calm your anger."

"Calm your grandfather, do you know that inside Bliss Fairy Immortal City right now, there are tens of thousands of Unity Realm Stage cultivators watching that Zhang Jing just like we are? And more guys are continuously coming over."

"Right, he's still staying in his residence without daring to come out, isn't he?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Tsk tsk, that is wise of him. But he can hide for a while, he can't hide forever. When Bliss Fairy Island closes, let's see what he'll do!"

...

...

As time goes by.

In the blink of an eye, another seven or eight years had passed.

Over at Bliss Fairy Immortal City, Zhang Jing was still fully committed to refining the invisible Xian Yi, turning a deaf ear to the outside world.

As more and more powerful cultivators joined, the rankings on the Devil God Ranking underwent earth-shattering changes, with Qingyun falling from the initial twenty-third to beyond one hundred.

Of course, there were no changes in the top three places on the list.

On the other hand.

At Shu Mountain Dojo.

Within Qingjing Palace.

Zhang Jing settled into the main seat, his left hand holding a palm-sized Zijin Fairy Boat with faint images of nine dragons swirling around, while in his right hand floated a River of Destiny shadow that resembled a dragon or a serpent.

Below him, five young figures with different auras were seated upright.

If there were outsiders present at the moment, they would certainly notice that although these individuals in the hall looked different from one another, there was a subtle similarity in their facial features.

"Ahem."

Zhang Jing, at the top, cleared his throat, his gaze sweeping over the passionate, indifferent, or authoritative faces of the five Dao forms below, and he began to speak slowly:

"Fellow Daoists, under our joint efforts, the Zijin Dragons Boat has been successfully refined. Now, I wonder which of you would be willing to carry the Three-Treasure Jade Ruyi, the Black Water Flag of Xuanming, and the Zijin Dragons Boat to explore the River of Cosmos Secret Realm?"